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PCI-104
PC/104 (or PC104) is a family of embedded computer standards which define both form factors and computer buses by the PC/104 Consortium. Its name derives from the 104 pins on the interboard connector ( ISA) in the original PC/104 specification and has been retained in subsequent revisions, despite changes to connectors. PC/104 is intended for specialized environments where a small, rugged computer system is required. The standard is modular, and allows consumers to stack together boards from a variety of COTS manufacturers to produce a customized embedded system. The original PC/104 form factor is somewhat smaller than a desktop PC motherboard at . Unlike other popular computer form factors such as ATX, which rely on a motherboard or backplane, PC/104 boards are stacked on top of each other like building blocks. The PC/104 specification defines four mounting holes at the corners of each module, which allow the boards to be fastened to each other using standoffs. The stack ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bus (computing)
In computer architecture, a bus (historically also called a data highway or databus) is a communication system that transfers Data (computing), data between components inside a computer or between computers. It encompasses both Computer hardware, hardware (e.g., wires, optical fiber) and software, including communication protocols. At its core, a bus is a shared physical pathway, typically composed of wires, traces on a circuit board, or busbars, that allows multiple devices to communicate. To prevent conflicts and ensure orderly data exchange, buses rely on a communication protocol to manage which device can transmit data at a given time. Buses are categorized based on their role, such as system buses (also known as internal buses, internal data buses, or memory buses) connecting the Central processing unit, CPU and Computer memory, memory. Expansion buses, also called peripheral buses, extend the system to connect additional devices, including peripherals. Examples of widely ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
PC/104 Consortium
The PC/104 Consortium is a technology consortium that was established in February 1992 by 12 companies, all sharing a vision of adapting desktop computer technology for embedded applications. Based on the technologies of a IBM PC-based single-board computer developed by American company Ampro in 1987, the PC/104 Consortium has since had a positive effect on the embedded computer marketplace and now includes over 50 member companies.Refer to the PC/104 Consortium'Membership Directory The PC/104 Consortium's technological philosophy is to support legacy technology while developing new solutions for the future. Longevity is a requirement for embedded systems and one of the hallmarks of PC/104 technology. Adopted specifications *PC/104 – based on Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) * PC/104-''Plus'' – based on Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) and ISA *PCI-104 – based on PCI * PCI/104-Express – based on PCI Express (PCIe) and PCI * PCIe/104 � ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Real-time Operating System
A real-time operating system (RTOS) is an operating system (OS) for real-time computing applications that processes data and events that have critically defined time constraints. A RTOS is distinct from a time-sharing operating system, such as Unix, which manages the sharing of system resources with a scheduler, data buffers, or fixed task prioritization in multitasking or multiprogramming environments. All operations must verifiably complete within given time and resource constraints or else fail safe. Real-time operating systems are event-driven and preemptive, meaning the OS can monitor the relevant priority of competing tasks, and make changes to the task priority. Characteristics A key characteristic of an RTOS is the level of its consistency concerning the amount of time it takes to accept and complete an application's task; the variability is "jitter". A "hard" real-time operating system (hard RTOS) has less jitter than a "soft" real-time operating system (soft RTOS); a l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Direct Memory Access
Direct memory access (DMA) is a feature of computer systems that allows certain hardware subsystems to access main system computer memory, memory independently of the central processing unit (CPU). Without DMA, when the CPU is using programmed input/output, it is typically fully occupied for the entire duration of the read or write operation, and is thus unavailable to perform other work. With DMA, the CPU first initiates the transfer, then it does other operations while the transfer is in progress, and it finally receives an interrupt from the DMA controller (DMAC) when the operation is done. This feature is useful at any time that the CPU cannot keep up with the rate of data transfer, or when the CPU needs to perform work while waiting for a relatively slow I/O data transfer. Many hardware systems use DMA, including disk drive controllers, graphics cards, network cards and sound cards. DMA is also used for intra-chip data transfer in some multi-core processors. Computers that h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Interrupt Request
In a computer, an interrupt request (or IRQ) is a hardware signal sent to the processor that temporarily stops a running program and allows a special program, an interrupt handler, to run instead. Hardware interrupts are used to handle events such as receiving data from a modem or network card, key presses, or mouse movements. Interrupt lines are often identified by an index with the format of ''IRQ'' followed by a number. For example, on the Intel 8259 family of programmable interrupt controllers (PICs) there are eight interrupt inputs commonly referred to as ''IRQ0'' through ''IRQ7''. In x86 based computer systems that use two of these PICs, the combined set of lines are referred to as ''IRQ0'' through ''IRQ15''. Technically these lines are named ''IR0'' through ''IR7'', and the lines on the ISA bus to which they were historically attached are named ''IRQ0'' through ''IRQ15'' (although historically as the number of hardware devices increased, the total possible number o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Base Address
In computing, a base address is an address serving as a reference point ("base") for other addresses. Related addresses can be accessed using an ''addressing scheme''. Under the ''relative addressing'' scheme, to obtain an absolute address, the relevant base address is taken and an offset (aka displacement) is added to it. Under this type of scheme, the base address is the lowest numbered address within a prescribed range, to facilitate adding related positive-valued offsets. In IBM System/360 architecture, the base address is a 24-bit value in a general register (extended in steps to 64 bits in z/Architecture), and the offset is a 12 bit value in the instruction (extended to 20 bits in z/Architecture). See also * Index register An index register in a computer's central processing unit, CPU is a processor register (or an assigned memory location) used for pointing to operand addresses during the run of a program. It is useful for stepping through String (computer scienc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Current (electricity)
An electric current is a flow of charged particles, such as electrons or ions, moving through an electrical conductor or space. It is defined as the net rate of flow of electric charge through a surface. The moving particles are called charge carriers, which may be one of several types of particles, depending on the conductor. In electric circuits the charge carriers are often electrons moving through a wire. In semiconductors they can be electrons or holes. In an electrolyte the charge carriers are ions, while in plasma, an ionized gas, they are ions and electrons. In the International System of Units (SI), electric current is expressed in units of ampere (sometimes called an "amp", symbol A), which is equivalent to one coulomb per second. The ampere is an SI base unit and electric current is a base quantity in the International System of Quantities (ISQ). Electric current is also known as amperage and is measured using a device called an ''ammeter''. Electric currents ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Voltage
Voltage, also known as (electrical) potential difference, electric pressure, or electric tension, is the difference in electric potential between two points. In a Electrostatics, static electric field, it corresponds to the Work (electrical), work needed per unit of Electric charge, charge to move a positive Test particle#Electrostatics, test charge from the first point to the second point. In the SI unit, International System of Units (SI), the SI derived unit, derived unit for voltage is the ''volt'' (''V''). The voltage between points can be caused by the build-up of electric charge (e.g., a capacitor), and from an electromotive force (e.g., electromagnetic induction in a Electric generator, generator). On a macroscopic scale, a potential difference can be caused by electrochemical processes (e.g., cells and batteries), the pressure-induced piezoelectric effect, and the thermoelectric effect. Since it is the difference in electric potential, it is a physical Scalar (physics ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pinout
In electronics, a pinout (sometimes written "pin-out") is a cross-reference between the contacts, or ''pins'', of an electrical connector or electronic component, and their functions. "Pinout" now supersedes the term "basing diagram" which was the standard terminology used by the manufacturers of vacuum tubes and the Radio Manufacturers Association (RMA). The RMA started its standardization in 1934, collecting and correlating tube data for registration at what was to become the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), which now has many sectors reporting to it and sets what is known as EIA standards where all registered pinouts and registered jacks can be found. Purpose The functions of contacts in electrical connectors, be they power- or signaling-related, must be specified for connectors to be interchangeable. Each connector contact must mate with the contact on the other connector with the same function. If contacts of disparate functions are allowed to make contact, the connec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
WinSystems, Inc
WinSystems is an employee owned embedded systems manufacturer specializing in ruggedized, highly reliable industrial computer systems. The company was founded by Jerry Winfield in 1982 and is headquartered in Grand Prairie, Texas. History Founded in 1982 (as WinTech), WinSystems manufactures and distributes embedded computers for use in industrial applications. Products include embedded x86-compatible single-board computers, COM Modules, COM carrier boards, touch panel PCs, analog boards, digital input/output (I/O) boards, industrial CompactFlash and many other items that are useful in industrial embedded systems. On September 19, 2007 - Jerry Winfield, President of WINSYSTEMS, announced that the company instituted an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and joined a growing list of companies whose employees are stockholders.(Employee ownership) This corporate structure offers stability and longevity for the WINSYSTEMS Corporation insuring long-term availability of products fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
PCI Express
PCI Express (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express), officially abbreviated as PCIe, is a high-speed standard used to connect hardware components inside computers. It is designed to replace older expansion bus standards such as Peripheral Component Interconnect, PCI, PCI-X and Accelerated Graphics Port, AGP. Developed and maintained by the PCI-SIG (PCI Special Interest Group), PCIe is commonly used to connect graphics cards, sound cards, Wi-Fi and Ethernet adapters, and storage devices such as solid-state drives and hard disk drives. Compared to earlier standards, PCIe supports faster data transfer, uses fewer pins, takes up less space, and allows devices to be added or removed while the computer is running (hot swapping). It also includes better error detection and supports newer features like I/O virtualization for advanced computing needs. PCIe connections are made through "lanes," which are pairs of wires that send and receive data. Devices can use one or more lanes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
